Himachal gets relief from snow, rain

Shimla: After two consecutive days of moderate to heavy snowfall and rain, Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday got some relief, but the cold wave continued to grip the hills.

The meteorological office here said no major snow or rain has been reported in the state since Monday evening.

Kalpa, 250 km from this state capital, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 7.2 degrees Celsius early Tuesday.

The minimum temperature in Shimla was 0.2 degree, while it was minus 1 degree in Manali and 2.1 degrees in Dharamsala.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry has warned that a medium danger (yellow stage) avalanche warning exists in some parts of the state till Tuesday evening, a state government release said.

It said the people staying in snow-bound areas of Solang, Beas Kund, Nehru Kund, Gulaba, Marhi in upper Manali in Kullu district, and Chamba, Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts are advised not to venture into avalanche-prone areas during the period.

A state government spokesperson said all buses for Delhi from Shimla and Manali were plying normally. But buses for upper Shimla towns like Rohru, Theog, Kharapathar and Chopal are not plying due to heavy snowfall.